Rugby: Big guns square off

Blues No 10 Stephen Brett has first dibs on the key role tonight against the Crusaders. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Heavyweight New Zealand teams the Blues and Crusaders square off tonight as the nation's amateur selectors open their notebooks and begin their World Cup jottings.

These sides have dominated Super rugby, collecting 10 of the 15 crowns and three runner-up medals, and that supremacy is reflected at Eden Park tonight with 22 of the 30 starting players holding All Black honours as well.

It's an appropriate line-up of talent as the new South Stand makes its debut for rugby spectators, with estimates that a walk-up crowd might breach the 30,000 mark if the weather behaves.

If there's more pressure on one side that heat might fall on the hosts. The Blues have not reached a final since 2003, despite their roster of international content.

Coach Pat Lam has spoken strongly about the need to break that drought as he moves into his third year in charge, and as the squad prepares to head to Africa tomorrow, victory would deliver a rosy edge to their boarding passes.

One of the Crusaders' arsenal, Richie McCaw, is injured, and while Lam tried to pass off that absence as inconsequential, his leadership and unparalleled skill will be a crucial missing part of the Crusaders' jigsaw. Matt Todd is a fine prospect, although not yet in McCaw's class.

However, the backline conductor is strapping on the boots. Daniel Carter is coming to town, ready no doubt for the comparison with cast-off Cantab Stephen Brett.

Brett was always likely to start this game though he got the rails run when Luke McAlister found Disneyland and Pukekohe coincided last week. The imported five-eighths believes he can weather the heat coming from Carter and his cronies.

"It's definitely a big game for me, it's where I'm from, that's where my rugby started and all of my mates are down there." he said.

Other forms of destruction will be right in the Blues' sights. Robbie Fruean is an explosive attacking force for the Crusaders while Rene Ranger commands a similar profile for the Blues.

Up front, the all-international tight forwards will operate their own squabbles, the Blues fancying their scrum cohesion where they will put some heat on referee Chris Pollock's rulings.

Visiting locks Brad Thorn and Sam Whitelock will like their chances of upsetting the reconstituted Anthony Boric/Ali Williams combo.

The Blues have more test players in action tonight but the spine of their side through No 8 to No 10 is where they are most vulnerable.

In that nerve centre Chris Lowrey is on the comeback at the boot of the scrum, Alby Mathewson is a reliable and feisty halfback while Brett is a fluctuating performer. If they gel, the Blues have abrasive clout up front and out wide to take a result.

Should Crusaders skipper Kieran Read, Ellis and Carter take control of the tempo and territory, the result may favour the southern franchise.

This is the tantalising start of a seven-month voyage through Super footy, the national championship, Tri-Nations and the World Cup, an itinerary which will thrill, tease and torment in varying doses depending on your allegiance.